.. the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, that is, at least according to The Omaha World-Herald.
UNO will announce its new men's hockey coach at a 2 p.m. press conference today. There has been lots of speculation as to who it will be this morning, but the World-Herald is reporting that it will be former North Dakota coach Dean Blais, who led the Sioux to two national titles and one runner-up finish in a five-year span. After leaving UND, he was an assistant coach with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets and, most recently, the general manager/coach of the USHL's Fargo Force, where he coached two future MSU Mavericks, including Matt Leitner and Mankato's Corey Leiverman.
(By the way, the Fargo Forum is reporting that Blais has already resigned from Fargo.)
This is a big splash for UNO and new athletic director Trev Alberts. It will certainly fuel speculation that Omaha could make the jump to the WCHA along with Bemidji State in two years.
This will also make this year's Spirit of the Maverick Trophy series a little more interesting for fans. By the way, that home-and-home series is Dec. 18-19 with the first game in Mankato.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
MSU 15th in attendance
Minnesota State ranked 15th among Division I men's college hockey's 58 teams in average attendance last season, drawing a team-record 4,552 fans per game. The ranking is the highest MSU has ever been on the list.
Wisconsin led the nation with an average of 13,785, followed by North Dakota (11,719) and Minnesota (10,022).
Arena size drops off significantly after those WCHA arenas, as Michigan (6,714) was fourth, Colorado College (6,573) was fifth and Nebraska-Omaha (6,211) was sixth.
Other WCHA schools on the list included St. Cloud State (seventh, 5,988), Denver (10th, 5,604), Minnesota Duluth (16th, 4,485), Alaska-Anchorage (22nd, 3,520) and Michigan Tech (34th, 2,463).
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
MSU releases schedule, opens season Oct. 9-10
The Minnesota State men’s hockey team will open the 2009-10 season on Oct. 9 at home against Bowling Green, the first of 19 home games, the university announced Wednesday.
The Mavericks will play an exhibition game against Canadian university Lethbridge (Alberta) on Oct. 3 at the Alltel Center before beginning the regular season a six days later with the first game of a nonconference series against Bowling Green. Minnesota State played at Bowling Green last season, tying and winning against the Falcons.
Other MSU home opponents will include Wisconsin (Oct. 23-24), Colorado College (Nov. 13-14), Michigan Tech (Nov. 27-28), Minnesota (Dec. 5), Nebraska-Omaha (Dec. 18), Rochester Institute of Technology (Jan 8-9), Minnesota Duluth (Jan. 15-16), Alaska-Anchorage (Feb. 19-20), Denver (Feb. 26-27) and St. Cloud State (March 5).
The Mavericks will open the Western Collegiate Hockey Association season Oct. 16-17 at Minnesota Duluth. They will also play road games at Denver (Oct. 30-31), Alaska-Anchorage (Nov. 20-21), Minnesota (Dec. 4), Bemidji State (Dec. 11-12), Nebraska-Omaha (Dec. 19), North Dakota (Jan 8-9), Michigan Tech (Jan. 29-30), Wisconsin (Feb. 12-13) and St. Cloud State (March 6).
Season tickets for 2009-10 are on sale now. Single-game tickets will go on sale in early October. For more information call the MSU athletic office at 389-6111.
Minnesota State men’s hockey 2009-10 schedule
Oct. 3...............vs. Lethbridge (exhibtion)
Oct. 9-10..........vs. Bowling Green
Oct. 16-17.........at Minnesota Duluth
Oct. 23-24.........vs. Wisconsin
Oct. 30-31.........at Denver
Nov. 13-14........vs. Colorado College
Nov. 20-21........at Alaska-Anchorage
Nov. 27-28........vs. Michigan Tech
Dec. 4-5............at/vs. Minnesota (home and home)
Dec. 11-12.........at Bemidji State
Dec. 18-19........vs./at Nebraska-Omaha (home and home)
Jan. 1-2............RIT
Jan. 8-9 ...........at North Dakota
Jan. 15-16.........vs. Minnesota Duluth
Jan. 29-30........at Michigan Tech
Feb. 12-13.........at Wisconsin
Feb. 19-20.........vs. Alaska-Anchorage
Feb. 26-27.........vs. Denver
March 5-6.........vs./at St. Cloud State (home and home)
Minnesota State men’s hockey 2009-10 schedule
Oct. 3...............vs. Lethbridge (exhibtion)
Oct. 9-10..........vs. Bowling Green
Oct. 16-17.........at Minnesota Duluth
Oct. 23-24.........vs. Wisconsin
Oct. 30-31.........at Denver
Nov. 13-14........vs. Colorado College
Nov. 20-21........at Alaska-Anchorage
Nov. 27-28........vs. Michigan Tech
Dec. 4-5............at/vs. Minnesota (home and home)
Dec. 11-12.........at Bemidji State
Dec. 18-19........vs./at Nebraska-Omaha (home and home)
Jan. 1-2............RIT
Jan. 8-9 ...........at North Dakota
Jan. 15-16.........vs. Minnesota Duluth
Jan. 29-30........at Michigan Tech
Feb. 12-13.........at Wisconsin
Feb. 19-20.........vs. Alaska-Anchorage
Feb. 26-27.........vs. Denver
March 5-6.........vs./at St. Cloud State (home and home)
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
St Cloud State extends Motzko
St. Cloud State gave men's hockey coach Bob Motzko a six-year contract extension this week.
More here.
More here.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Women's race just got tighter
When Eric Means was hired as Minnesota State's women's hockey coach, he said the goal was to establish the Mavericks as the clear-cut No. 4 team in the WCHA and challenge the Big 3 -- Wisconsin, Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth -- from there.
Well, that task just got a little more interesting as Minnesota's mightily talented Lamoureux twins -- Monique and Jocelyne -- announced that they were transferring to North Dakota. The twins, who just finished their freshman season, will have to sit out a year but will likely be members of the U.S. Olympic team next season anyway.
The forwards, who are from Grand Forks, N.D., ranked Nos. 2 and 3 in the WCHA in scoring and ended the Mavericks' season by combining for four goals and two assists in the Gophers' WCHA 7-2 semifinal victory over MSU in the league tournament.
You can read more about their decision here and here.
Minnesota State and North Dakota tied for fifth place in the WCHA last season.
Well, that task just got a little more interesting as Minnesota's mightily talented Lamoureux twins -- Monique and Jocelyne -- announced that they were transferring to North Dakota. The twins, who just finished their freshman season, will have to sit out a year but will likely be members of the U.S. Olympic team next season anyway.
The forwards, who are from Grand Forks, N.D., ranked Nos. 2 and 3 in the WCHA in scoring and ended the Mavericks' season by combining for four goals and two assists in the Gophers' WCHA 7-2 semifinal victory over MSU in the league tournament.
You can read more about their decision here and here.
Minnesota State and North Dakota tied for fifth place in the WCHA last season.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
I'm back
I've been off for a bit and unable to blog, not that there hasn't been some hockey news going on. Here are a few items of interest ...
As if he wasn't busy enough with the transition between his old job as MSU men's assistant and his new job as the Mavericks' new women's hockey coach, Eric Means had his appendix removed last week. He reported that everything went well.
Both Means and men's coach Troy Jutting are in the process of hiring assistant coaches. I would guess those should get finalized sometime soon.
I ran into two former Mankato West players who spent last season with the USHL's Fargo Force last season, Corey Leivermann and Tyler Bruggeman. Leivermann, an MSU recruit, had a great year with Fargo, which lost in the USHL playoff finals to Indiana. Bruggeman, a goaltender, played in just one game after forgoing his senior year of high school eligibility to move to Fargo. Bruggeman, was recently drafted by the NAHL's Fairbanks Ice Dogs, told me that he learned a lot, and hopes to return to the Force next season. Leivermann will spend another season in Fargo as well.
Both Leivermann and Bruggeman and MSU recruit Matt Leitner received team awards from the Force. Leivermann received the team's most inspirational player award, Leitner was named outstanding forward and Bruggman got the community service award.
More later ...
As if he wasn't busy enough with the transition between his old job as MSU men's assistant and his new job as the Mavericks' new women's hockey coach, Eric Means had his appendix removed last week. He reported that everything went well.
Both Means and men's coach Troy Jutting are in the process of hiring assistant coaches. I would guess those should get finalized sometime soon.
I ran into two former Mankato West players who spent last season with the USHL's Fargo Force last season, Corey Leivermann and Tyler Bruggeman. Leivermann, an MSU recruit, had a great year with Fargo, which lost in the USHL playoff finals to Indiana. Bruggeman, a goaltender, played in just one game after forgoing his senior year of high school eligibility to move to Fargo. Bruggeman, was recently drafted by the NAHL's Fairbanks Ice Dogs, told me that he learned a lot, and hopes to return to the Force next season. Leivermann will spend another season in Fargo as well.
Both Leivermann and Bruggeman and MSU recruit Matt Leitner received team awards from the Force. Leivermann received the team's most inspirational player award, Leitner was named outstanding forward and Bruggman got the community service award.
More later ...
Friday, May 15, 2009
Kemp out at UNO
The "Spirit of the Maverick" series will have a little bit different look next season.
The only coach in Nebraska-Omaha's history, Mike Kemp, has stepped down as the Mavericks coach to become associate athletic director at the school. New UNO athletic director Trev Alberts (the former Nebraska Cornhuskers football player) called the move a promotion, not a demotion, although Kemp was on the hot seat last year.
Kemp, a Gustavus Adolphus graduate, had a 194-223-57 record, including a 15-17-8 mark in 2008-09, which included a school-record 14-game winless streak late in the season. The red Mavericks made one appearance in the NCAA tournament and in nine years in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association never finished higher than fourth.
Some names as possible replaements for Kemp are starting to surface. They include, most prominantly, Minnesota assistant Mike Hastings, who coached the USHL's Omaha Lancers for 14 years, former UNO assistant and current Boston University assistant David Quinn. Other names mentioned include former North Dakota coach Dean Blais and longtime Minnesota assistant and current Colorado College assistant Mike Guentzel.
Another aspect to watch is to see how this affects UNO as a possible 12th team in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
The only coach in Nebraska-Omaha's history, Mike Kemp, has stepped down as the Mavericks coach to become associate athletic director at the school. New UNO athletic director Trev Alberts (the former Nebraska Cornhuskers football player) called the move a promotion, not a demotion, although Kemp was on the hot seat last year.
Kemp, a Gustavus Adolphus graduate, had a 194-223-57 record, including a 15-17-8 mark in 2008-09, which included a school-record 14-game winless streak late in the season. The red Mavericks made one appearance in the NCAA tournament and in nine years in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association never finished higher than fourth.
Some names as possible replaements for Kemp are starting to surface. They include, most prominantly, Minnesota assistant Mike Hastings, who coached the USHL's Omaha Lancers for 14 years, former UNO assistant and current Boston University assistant David Quinn. Other names mentioned include former North Dakota coach Dean Blais and longtime Minnesota assistant and current Colorado College assistant Mike Guentzel.
Another aspect to watch is to see how this affects UNO as a possible 12th team in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
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